All My Children

Gaining their Confidence

It’s the nature of young people to be critical of their parents at times and to feel that most of the misunderstandings between them are the fault of the parents. (A critical attitude helps young people to leave home eventually.) They have always complained, with more or less justice, that parents are out of touch with modern ways, that they are possessive and bossy, that they lack confidence in their children’s ability to cope with social and sexual crises; that they harp unnecessarily on certain issues, that they lack a sense of humour, at least in regard to parent–child relationships. Continue Reading »

In order to give adequate attention to the needs and development of infants and toddlers, there should be:

• at least one caregiver for every three children younger than two years of age. If at all possible each infant or toddler should have a main caregiver— that is, someone with whom she has an ongoing and consistent relationship.
• at least one caregiver for every four children between two and three years of age.
• at least one caregiver for every eight children between three and six years of age.

With these basic principles clearly in mind, you must also evaluate several aspects of any potential child-care arrangement, including short-term (baby- sitting) care: Continue Reading »

Your child’s checkups at ages three and four were probably uneventful, at least from the child’s perspective. At five, however, school is on the horizon, and specific screening and immunization updates are due. Find out about local school entrance requirements and your health-care provider’s routine for this exam, because a little preparation may soften some of the “sticker shock.” You don’t have to go into the gory details, but you might mention that this is a special visit and that the doctor is going to make sure that your child is ready for school.

Aside from the normal height, weight, vision, and hearing screening, and a head-to-toe exam, what else may happen?

• A urinalysis. A number of problems can be detected by an evaluation of urine, so make sure your child doesn’t urinate just prior to the visit.
• A blood test (usually by finger stick) to check for anemia.
• A skin test for tuberculosis (which may depend on school requirements, your location, and your child’s risk for exposure to this disease). This has probably been done at least once at a previous checkup, but your child may not remember it. The small prick on the forearm must be checked by the doctor if a firm bump develops at the site of the injection after forty-eight to seventy-two hours. A local reaction may indicate that your child has had contact with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, although he may not have an active infection. Further testing will usually be necessary.

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